Merging active group calls

• US 10,123,182 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2015
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Allen, Andrew Michael, Buckley, Adrian
• Primary Examiner(s): Pollack, Melvin H
• Application Number:
  US14/754,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20160381526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 709203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

A method for merging active group calls includes hosting, at a first Push to talk (PTT) server, a first active group call. A first group of PTT clients participate in the first active group call. The first PTT server receives a request to invite a second group of PTT clients. The request includes an identifier for the second group of PTT clients. The first PTT server sends a first invite message to the second PTT server. The first invite message includes the identifier for the second group of PTT clients. In response to the first invite message, the first PTT server receives a response message. The response message indicates that the second group of PTT clients are participating in the second active group call. The first PTT server hosts a merged PTT group call.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

hosting, at a first Push to talk (PTT) server, a first active group call, wherein a first group of PTT clients participate in the first active group call;

receiving, at the first PTT server, a request to invite a second group of PTT clients, wherein the request includes an identifier for the second group of PTT clients, the second group of PTT clients participate in a second active group call, and the second active group call is hosted by a second PTT server;

sending, from the first PTT server and to the second PTT server, a first invite message, wherein the first invite message includes the identifier for the second group of PTT clients;

receiving, in response to the first invite message, a response message, wherein the response message indicates that the second group of PTT clients are participating in the second active group call; and

hosting a merged PTT group call, wherein the first group of PTT clients and the second group of PTT clients participate in the merged PTT group call.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a second invite message, wherein the second invite message invites at least one PTT client of the second group of PTT clients to the merged PTT group call and the second invite message indicates that the merged PTT group call replaces or suspends the second active group call.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second invite message is sent over a Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) channel.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a subscribe request to the second PTT server; and

receiving, in response to the subscribe request, a notify message, wherein the notify message includes metadata of the second group of PTT clients.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the metadata indicates a pending request to send media, wherein the pending request is received at the second PTT server prior to the first invite message.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the metadata indicates at least one of a timestamp, a queue position, or a priority of the pending request.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the metadata indicates a Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) bearer that is used by at least one PTT client of the second group of PTT clients for the second active group call.

8. A device, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one hardware processor communicatively coupled with the memory and configured to;

host, at a first Push to talk (PTT) server, a first active group call, wherein a first group of PTT clients participate in the first active group call;

receive, at the first PTT server, a request to invite a second group of PTT clients, wherein the request includes an identifier for the second group of PTT clients, the second group of PTT clients participate in a second active group call, and the second active group call is hosted by a second PTT server;

send, from the first PTT server and to the second PTT server, a first invite message, wherein the first invite message includes the identifier for the second group of PTT clients;

receive, in response to the first invite message, a response message, wherein the response message indicates that the second group of PTT clients are participating in the second active group call; and

host a merged PTT group call, wherein the first group of PTT clients and the second group of PTT clients participate in the merged PTT group call.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to send a second invite message, wherein the second invite message invites at least one PTT client of the second group of PTT clients to the merged PTT group call and the second invite message indicates that the merged PTT group call replaces or suspends the second active group call.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the second invite message is sent over a Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) channel.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to:

send a subscribe request to the second PTT server; and

receive, in response to the subscribe request, a notify message, wherein the notify message includes metadata of the second group of PTT clients.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the metadata indicates a pending request to send media, wherein the pending request is received at the second PTT server prior to the first invite message.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the metadata indicates at least one of a timestamp, a queue position, or a priority of the pending request.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the metadata indicates a Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) bearer that is used by at least one PTT client of the second group of PTT clients for the second active group call.

15. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions which, when executed, cause a computing device to perform operations comprising:

hosting, at a first Push to talk (PTT) server, a first active group call, wherein a first group of PTT clients participate in the first active group call;

receiving, at the first PTT server, a request to invite a second group of PTT clients, wherein the request includes an identifier for the second group of PTT clients, the second group of PTT clients participate in a second active group call, and the second active group call is hosted by a second PTT server;

sending, from the first PTT server and to the second PTT server, a first invite message, wherein the first invite message includes the identifier for the second group of PTT clients;

receiving, in response to the first invite message, a response message, wherein the response message indicates that the second group of PTT clients are participating in the second active group call; and

hosting a merged PTT group call, wherein the first group of PTT clients and the second group of PTT clients participate in the merged PTT group call.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise sending a second invite message, wherein the second invite message invites at least one PTT client of the second group of PTT clients to the merged PTT group call and the second invite message indicates that the merged PTT group call replaces or suspends the second active group call.

17. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the second invite message is sent over a Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) channel.

18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

sending a subscribe request to the second PTT server; and

receiving, in response to the subscribe request, a notify message, wherein the notify message includes metadata of the second group of PTT clients.

19. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the metadata indicates a pending request to send media, wherein the pending request is received at the second PTT server prior to the first invite message.

20. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the metadata indicates at least one of a timestamp, a queue position, or a priority of the pending request.